TIP FROM THE PRO – NOVEMBER 2018

Most people seem to judge a golfer as a “good golfer” simply because that golfer hits the ball longer than their mates. Is this a good assumption?

Most members would hit their driver longer than Corey Pavin, yet he is a “Major Champion”….It’s an interesting topic of conversation to have over dinner.

In my personal and professional view, I feel that a golfer who can be consistent with their scoring is a good golfer, regardless if they hit their driver 350m or 200m. People make the comment, “he scored well, but he was lucky that he holed everything”…isn’t putting part of the game?

It is great watching professionals in action. It is great to see them hitting a great tee shot, great iron shot and amazing recovery shots, but in the end, it is their putting that makes those great shots stay great. It doesn’t sound as good when a person makes the comment, “Anthony hit a great shot over the water to a foot, but missed the putt”.

Today, I am going to give a very important tip for those who want to have distance on their side. My tip is this, if you want to hit shots longer, all you need to do is transfer your weight through the shot. “Through the shot” is the key point.

Most club golfers seem to stop once the ball has been struck. It is important to make sure that you allow momentum to help you through the shot. It is very rare that you see an AFL player or NRL goal kicker stop their foot as they reach impact when kicking the ball. They need to follow through to give their kick distance as do golfers who hit the ball a long way.

Transferring your weight is very easy but it can be made hard. To transfer your weight, you need to allow your left hip to start the downswing first and then continue to rotate as the rest of the body follows. Most golfers start with their arms, which prevents the hips from rotating, which in the ends reduces the amount of power you can put into the shot.

Transferring your weight is also an important factor to help improve your accuracy. You do not need a fast hip rotation, you just need to ensure that your hip rotation stays ahead of the rest of the body movement in your downswing.

This is going to sound a little confusing to some, but, you can move your hips too fast, which can put the timing of your shot out of control.

Here is a simple drill – Use an iron of choice, preferably a 9 iron. Practice hitting little shots that may only travel 30m. If the shot does not go straight, it is due to poor timing and too much hand manipulation in the shot making. Try again until you get a straight shot and a well-connected shot. Once you have achieved this continue to a slightly longer shot. Keep doing this until you reach your swing. By this time, you have found your timing and improved your weight transfer, which will ultimately give you more power and better accuracy in your shots.